Managing lead (Pb) emissions in China from the perspective of final demand

Lead (Pb) pollution is a serious environmental and health risk and remains a major challenge for China. This study analyzes China’s atmospheric Pb emissions from the dual perspectives of production and final demand, by integrating localized emission factors and a Multi-Regional Input–Output model. Our results show that Shandong, Hebei, and Hubei directly contribute over 36% of the national emissions. However, from the final demand perspective, some developed provinces, such as Jiangsu, Guangdong, and Zhejiang, induce a considerable proportion (29%) of the national emissions by relocating emissions to other provinces through inter-provincial trade. Trade-embodied emissions typically flow from interior regions to more affluent coastal regions (e.g. Henan-Jiangsu, Anhui-Jiangsu, Hunan-Guangdong). Considering both production and final demand, we identify different roles for provinces in Pb emission management. Prosperous beneficiary provinces should take more responsibilities by transferring advanced technologies, especially those in industries such as coal dressing, to sacrificial provinces.